In my clinic, I usually finish my initial intakes by asking my new patients to make 3 goals for their health and life. More than anything else people say "to have more energy." If you'd like more energy too, then this column is for you. I'm going to share my ideas about getting more energy in your life and will hopefully motivate you into taking action on some of these ideas. Because when it comes to health, energy levels, longevity practices, nutrition, and herbal medicine, knowledge is only the foundation for practice. If you know about herbal medicine, nutrition, acupressure, or yoga, please take a moment to ask yourself if you put it into practice. Most readers of this column study metaphysics and alternative medicine already. I don't need to give an introduction to the basic concepts of natural medicine. I probably don't even need to give an introduction to Chinese Medicine and Taoist Philosophy, which are my specialities. Well, if you really need an introduction, here it is: "Do sensible things to live a long, healthy life, but don't get too caught up in it, 'cuz you're going to die sooner or later no matter what."

The problem lies between Knowing what Sensible Things to do and Doing those Sensible Things. Among the sensible things which can improve health and give longevity are exercise, diet, stress-relieving activities, a healthy sexual relationship, and taking natural substances (ideally foods) to feed the glands, organs, and brain.

Exercise and diet. Such boring topics, to be sure. Everyone knows about exercise and diet, yet these are still where the mystery lies for the bulk of controllable health and well-being. Please don't confuse healthy exercise with athletic extremism. For many body types, running a marathon is more likely to result in stress fractures, dehydration, and painful cramps than it is in a healthy heart. Rugby players may have great cardiovascular health and buff leg muscles, but constantly healing from bruises, scrapes, and broken noses isn't a great recipe for aging without pain. Healthy exercise is more likely to be stretching in the morning and walking the dog in the evening. Biking to work is another good form of exercise if the air pollution isn't too bad. I'm partial to the softer of the Asian movement arts, such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong. They simultaneously stretch the muscles, move the joints through their full range of motion, safely strengthen through gentle resistance, and aid in relaxation.

Diet and Taoism are similar. They are both common everyday things, but the volumes of complexity written about each just make them more inscrutable. The rules are simple--stop before you're stuffed, get a variety of fresh foods, avoid poisons (including many artificial ingredients), and don't overdo any food type, especially sugars and grains. You can get infinitely complex with diet. I certainly put a lot of effort (and money) into getting the highest quality ingredients to cook with. I have merged gourmet and healthy into my cooking philosophy--if a dish contains pre-made sauces with unknown ingredients or relies on artificial flavors or colors, it doesn't earn the title 'gourmet' in my book. However, a dish with just a few ingredients--steamed broccoli, carrots, and onions with a dollop of real butter and some sea salt, for example--is gourmet without being complicated. If the veggies are local, organic, or home-grown, so much the better! I like chocolate and ice cream, too. However, I've found that by eating better quality (i.e. expensive organic chocolate and ice cream), I enjoy it better and am satisfied with less. I was vegetarian for 8 years, but currently eat most types of meat in moderation. I feel that my energy levels are higher and more stable with the quality protein and energy-packed fat of meat. However, I have never had a problem with being overweight or at risk of heart disease, so your situation may differ.

Relieving stress through meditation, music, and self-hypnosis are highly recommended. You don't have to use complicated techniques, and you don't have to accept religious overlays on these techniques. Sitting or laying comfortably and focussing awareness on one's breathing is as effective as most other forms of meditation. While intense, prolonged meditation can lead to breakthroughs to other states of consciousness and energy awareness, relaxing in a recliner listening to classical music has many of the same benefits for general stress reduction.

A healthy sexual relationship is another stress-relieving part of life. Studies have shown that strongly committed long-term monogamy is a reliable means of life extension. Having sex 2 or more times per week also increases health. Having regular sex in a loving, committed relationship is the best approach. Sex can be improved by being in good shape and being able to relax while having sex. Some Chinese traditions caution men to not ejaculate excessively, which is determined by age, health, and season. Aspects of this belief system arose from mystical misogyny, such as the belief that having sex with 20 different women per day without ejaculating was the pathway to health and immortality. While such a course of sexercise will indeed alter testosterone levels, the chances of contracting an STD and the stresses of juggling such a busy social calendar make the costs outweigh the supposed benefits.

The last major factor which can influence health, longevity, and energy is essentially the use of chemicals to prevent disease and promote health. Surprisingly enough, moderate alcohol use (in people not disposed to alcoholism) is highly effective at lowering heart disease and stroke risk. Tea, whether green or black, also protects the heart. While many natural healthcare practitioners insist that coffee is a no-no, there is little, if any, documented evidence of coffee being a significant risk factor for any disease (including bone density). Poking around the National Library of Medicine (www.pubmed.org) shows that coffee actually has some beneficial effects in regards to esophogeal cancer, liver cirrhosis, and Parkinson's disease. Moderation is still key for coffee consumption. Using 1-2 cups early in the day may be considered a performance enhancing herbal supplement (which is how it's regarded by the Olympics). However, some people are more drastically affected by caffeine and are better off avoiding it. Moderate use of alcohol and coffee do not mean that you can't be healthy. Whether or not you drink alcohol or coffee, I recommend you occasionally take vitamins and learn to use appropriate herbs. A multivitamin, B-complex, essential fatty acid supplement (Fish Oil or Flax Seed Oil), and any target minerals depending on gender and health issues (Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, etc.) may be a good idea--if general dosage guidelines are followed, no harm should come of such supplementation. More is not better in many areas of health, including vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Despite what many vitamin salespeople will tell you, you don't need vitamins all of the time--taking them occasionally is more than enough "insurance" against deficiency, if you need such insurance at all. The antioxidants are useful, and if they can't be consumed in fresh foods such as fruits, supplemental C, E, and A (in moderation, as excessive A can lead to toxicity) can help protect the heart, eyes, etc., according to research I've seen.

It is quite a study to learn herbal medicine thoroughly. That can take a long time, and it can be difficult to sort through and determine what's accurate and useful and what's not. But the key point of this column is not only to Know about herbal medicine (and good diet, exercise, etc.), but to Do what you know. So learn about the herbs which are good for various conditions and make sure you have them around and know how to use them. Herbs are often used seasonally (such as Astragalus in the fall, Ginseng in the winter, Dandelion in the spring, and Mint in the summer) to help one adapt to the changing conditions of the year. However, if you're treating medical conditions (especially pain, which can be a signal of deeper problems), please do consult with an MD for initial screening, even before going to an acupuncturist, chiropractor, naturopath, etc. You may be surprised to hear me say this, but MDs are much more likely to order tests which may detect certain diseases early (such as cancer, diabetes, AIDS, kidney failure, etc.) whereas natural medicine providers may misinterpret such signals and delay effective treatment.

My intent in this column was to help break down some of the limiting beliefs about health, longevity, and energy which may have been preventing you from having a healthy self-image or taking action towards having a healthier, more energetic life. For most 'normal' people, and espcially for most 'above average' people such as most readers of this column, techniques of general health improvement don't need to be a secret requiring special initiation or years of studying with a guru. In fact, by walking more, dropping guilt surrounding moderate alcohol and caffeine consumption, eating sensibly, and working to improve your social and sexual lives, you'll be doing your body and mind a favor. In my experience, obsessing on a excessively rigid lifestyle for increasing 'health' often creates more problems due to the stress of the mental obsession.